CAMBON PODCASTS

Florence Knapp in “les Rencontres” — CHANEL Literary Rendezvous at Rue Cambon

Listen to author and critic Erica Wagner in conversation with Florence Knapp, writer of “The Names”, her debut novel published by Phoenix in 2025, and recently published in French by JC Lattès. In her novel, Florence Knapp tells the story of a family marked by domestic abuse and explores the theme of identity—what a name means to someone and how it defines a person. As the conversation unfolds, Florence Knapp mentions her literary influences and the rejection of her first manuscript. As part of the Rendez-vous littéraires rue Cambon [Literary Rendezvous at Rue Cambon], the podcast “les Rencontres” highlights first-time women novelists. (00:00) Introduction (00:56) Presentation of Florence Knapp and her novel “The Names” by Erica Wagner (03:57) On the author’s path to becoming a writer (05:08) On her interest in paper piecing (06:27) The rejection of her first manuscript (08:58) On the challenges she encountered writing “The Names” (10:09) The publication process of her novel (13:17) Reading an extract of “The Names” by Florence Knapp (16:31) The writing process of her novel (19:09) On how craftsmanship inspires her (20:40) The difficulty to write about domestic abuse (23:34) On her literary influences (25:58) The reception of the book (28:36) The ending questionnaire of “Les Rencontres” Florence Knapp, The Names © The Orion Publishing Group, 2025 Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman Copyright © 2021 by Oliver Burkeman Used by permission of Farrar, Straus and Giroux All Rights Reserved Charlotte’s Web © 1952 by E.B. White, courtesy of HarperCollins Publishers The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat Copyright © 1985, Oliver Sacks All Rights Reserved Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, copyright © 2017 by Celeste Ng Published by Penguin Random House US

Entretien avec Germaine Acogny dans les coulisses du Théâtre des Champs-Élysées

Dans un documentaire sonore exclusif, Germaine Acogny, figure majeure de la danse contemporaine, raconte les coulisses de son spectacle au Théâtre des Champs-Élysées à Paris.  Pour cette création imaginée en deux parties, la chorégraphe et danseuse interprète « Joséphine », un ballet célébrant la vie de l’artiste et militante Joséphine Baker. Paloma, Maison d’art résidente au 19M, a imaginé les quatre costumes de Germaine Acogny pour cette performance unique. À cette première partie succède une représentation du « Sacre du printemps » d’Igor Stravinsky, compositeur proche de Gabrielle Chanel qui fut la mécène de sa recréation en 1920. Chorégraphié par Pina Bausch, le ballet est interprété par des danseurs de l’École des Sables, école de danse créée par Germaine Acogny à Dakar. Fidèle à son attachement à la création contemporaine et à la danse, CHANEL a le plaisir de soutenir ce spectacle qui encourage la transmission entre les cultures et les générations. Les cinq représentations ont lieu du 24 au 28 septembre 2025 au Théâtre des Champs-Élysées à Paris. Entretien mené par Paul-Henry Bizon.

Katie Kitamura and Charlotte Casiraghi — CHANEL Literary Rendezvous at Rue Cambon

For the sixteenth edition of the Rendez-vous littéraires rue Cambon [Literary Rendezvous at Rue Cambon] held at the 7L library in Paris, CHANEL and Charlotte Casiraghi, ambassador and spokesperson for the House, invited novelist Katie Kitamura. Moderated by journalist Caroline Issa, this encounter dedicated to the work of Katie Kitamura explores the changing nature of identity—a theme at the heart of her latest novel Audition—and the essential role of reading in her writing process: “The most intimate and optimistic thing I do every single day is to read. Because when I read, I open myself up to the mind of another person. And I hope to write the kind of fiction that allows a reader to do the same thing.” Together, they also talk about the contemporary questions that the author’s fictional heroines encounter. (00:10) : Opening by Charlotte Casiraghi (02:20) : Introduction by Caroline Issa (03:50) : Katie Kitamura and her unnamed women characters (06:17) : Reading of an extract of “Audition” by India Ennenga (11:37) : The role of self-performance in the construction of one’s identity (16:15) : Charlotte Casiraghi on female protagonists in contemporary literature (20:50) : On the relationships shaping Katie Kitamura’s characters (24:35) : Siri Hustvedt’s message to Katie Kitamura (26:40) : Reading of an extract of “A Separation” by Charlotte Casiraghi (32:40) : On literature as a collaboration between reader and writer (33:40) : On taking risks in the creative process (38:14) : On literature as a way to approach the complexity of truth (39:40) : On feelings after reading Katie Kitamura’s books (42:32) : Katie Kitamura’s takes on how to start writing (44:05) : Questions from the audience Katie Kitamura, Gone to the Forest © Clerkenwell Press, 2013  Gone to the Forest by Katie Kitamura. Copyright © 2012 by Katie Kitamura. Reprinted with the permission of The Free Press, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster, LLC. All rights reserved  The Longshot by Katie Kitamura. Copyright © 2009 by Katie Kitamura. Reprinted with the permission of The Free Press, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster, LLC. All rights reserved  A Separation by Katie Kitamura, copyright © 2017 by Katie Kitamura. Published by Riverhead, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC  A Separation by Katie Kitamura © Clerkenwell Press, 2017  Excerpt from A Separation by Katie Kitamura, copyright © 2017 by Katie Kitamura. Used by permission of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved  Intimacies by Katie Kitamura, copyright © 2021 by Katie Kitamura. Published by Riverhead, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC  From Intimacies by Katie Kitamura published by Jonathan Cape. Copyright © Katie Kitamura, 2021. Reprinted by permission of The Random House Group Limited  Audition by Katie Kitamura, copyright © 2025 by Katie Kitamura. Published by Riverhead, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC  From Audition by Katie Kitamura published by Fern Press. Copyright © Katie Kitamura, 2025. Reprinted by permission of The Random House Group Limited   Excerpt from Audition by Katie Kitamura, copyright © 2025 by Katie Kitamura. Used by permission of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved  Mrs Dalloway © Virginia Woolf, 1925  The Lady with the Dog © Anton Tchekhov, 1899  The Aliens © Annie Baker, 2010. Published by Faber & Faber Ltd  If I Had a Hammer   Hays Lee, Seeger Peter, Ludlow Music Inc   © Ludlow Music via Tro Essex Music Ltd

Aria Aber in “les Rencontres” — CHANEL Literary Rendezvous at Rue Cambon

Listen to journalist Erica Wagner in conversation with writer Aria Aber about “Good Girl”, her first novel published by Hogarth Press and shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2025. Through the story of the character Nila—from her Berliner childhood to her adulthood—this book reveals the metamorphosis of both a character from the Afghan diaspora and of a writing process at a crossroads between different languages and literary genres. As the conversation unfolds, the novelist and poet evokes how her readings influence her life, her writing and her inspirations. As part of the Rendez-vous littéraires rue Cambon [Literary Rendezvous at Rue Cambon], the podcast “les Rencontres” highlights the birth of a writer in a series created by CHANEL and House ambassador and spokesperson Charlotte Casiraghi.  (00:00) : Introduction (00:56) : Presentation of Aria Aber by Erica Wagner (04:07) : On the author’s vocation as a writer (05:30) : On choosing to write in English (07:27) : On her debut poetry collection and the choice of writing a novel (09:37) : An original take on girlhood (11:26) : On photography and literature (13:28) : On the publication process (15:13) : Reading an extract of “Good Girl” by Aria Aber  (17:19) : On her writing process (20:03) : The writers that inspire her (24:21) : A main character torn between shame and desire (26:54) : Exploring new ways of literary creation (28:35) : On the reception of the book (33:20) : The ending questionnaire of “les Rencontres” © Aria Aber, 2025, Good Girl, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Good Girl : A Novel by Aria Aber. Copyright © 2025 by Aria Aber. Published by Hogarth, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC The Ungrateful Refugee © Dina Nayeri, courtesy of Canongate Books Ltd Aria Aber, Hard Damage © Aria Aber, 2019. Published by the University of Nebraska Press Anna Karenina © Leo Tolstoy, 1877

Sofia Coppola — CHANEL Haute Couture

From her first internship at 31 rue Cambon at the age of 15 to the editing of her book ‘CHANEL Haute Couture’ to be published in September, director and House ambassador Sofia Coppola reflects on how she sharpened her sense of fashion and singular aesthetic. In a series of conversations led by Géraldine Sarratia released for the Fall-Winter 2025/26 Haute Couture show, ambassadors and friends of the House share their personal experience of CHANEL Haute Couture — on the occasion of its 110th anniversary — drawing on their memories of 31 rue Cambon.